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City that never sleeps

The world’s most talked about city, New York is a place it’s impossible not to love. Its cultural currency comes from its huge diversity, with over 200 languages spoken and millions from across the globe flocking to see its sensational sights. Manhattan teems day and night, its museums chock full of the finest art and design the world has to offer.

Brooklyn’s burgeoning reputation as the planet’s cultural capital makes it an essential stop-off for music lovers, beer drinkers and food fanatics. Throw in endless cityscapes and beautiful squares and parks for escaping the bustle, and you have the quintessential modern-day metropolis.

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

Take both of these classic sights in on one single boat trip. Ellis Island is steeped in history, the place where America’s immigrants arrived until 1954, while the Statue of Liberty is a must-see for NYC first-timers.

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Country Information

Country overview

From its vast plains, snow-covered mountains, deep forests and strange rock formations, to soaring skyscrapers and a thunderous cultural scene, the USA is a collage of extremes. Nothing can prepare you for your first glimpse of Manhattan’s unforgettable skyline, your first ride in a yellow cab, the ubiquitous hamburger joints, yawning expanses of prairie, the sweet strains of New Orleans jazz, or the neon-lit excesses of Las Vegas.

Marvel at the thunderous spectacle of 12,000-year-old Niagara Falls in northern New York, or seek an antidote to urban chaos amidst the flat farmland of the Midwest. Then there are the black hills of South Dakota, the dramatic mountain and ocean landscape of California’s Pacific Coast Highway and the world-famous Grand Canyon.

Geography

Covering a large part of the North American continent, the USA shares borders with Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The country has coasts on the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The State of Alaska, in the northwest corner of the US, is not part of the continental US; it is separated from the rest of the USA by Canada. Similarly, Hawaii is not part of the “lower 48” states; it lies in the central Pacific Ocean.

The country’s dependent territories are offshore and have distinct geographies of their own; the majority are islands.

The third-largest country in the world (after the Russian Federation and Canada), the USA has an enormous diversity of geographical features, including mountains, plains, and coastal zones. Though there are many cities that are densely populated with more manmade features than natural ones, there are also vast rural areas that are far more sparsely populated. The climate ranges from subtropical to arctic, with a corresponding breadth of flora and fauna.

General knowledge

Key facts

Population: 317297725

Population Density (per sq km): 32

Capital: Washington, DC.

Language

English, with significant Spanish-speaking minorties (10.7%).

Currency

US Dollar (USD; symbol $) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of $100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1, though the $2 bill is rare and is not in high circulation. Coins are in denominations of $1, and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 cents.

Electricity

120 volts AC, 60Hz. Plugs have two flat pins with or without a third round grounding pin.

General business opening hours

Business hours are officially Mon-Fri 0900-1730, although an extended working day is very common in certain sectors and it is not unusual for people to be working well into the night or over the weekend.

2 Airports in New York City

Getting around

Public Transport

New York’s extensive subway system is the largest in the world and is run by the city under the auspices of the MTA (www.mta.info), which also takes care of the excellent bus system. Tickets can be purchased from stations and news agents, with rechargeable Metrocards the best bet for getting around. The subway runs 24 hours a day, although services become sparse in the small hours.

Taxis

New York’s famous yellow cabs are always available on Manhattan’s main streets. Don’t be timid and stay on the sidewalk when hailing one. Chances are a bold local will be in the road taking your ride. Tipping is essential.

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Typical for New York are the differences, that’s all

Practically anything is possible in this city – any day, any time. Sophie Auster, musician and daughter of the famous authors Auster and Hustvedt, lets us in on the secrets of her hometown.

It’s a sunny morning on West Broadway. Sophie Auster sits on a bench, a latte to go in her hand, her dark eyes hidden behind sunglasses. That way, you don’t see the dark rings under her eyes that she may well have inherited from her father, the author Paul Auster. But maybe they are just a souvenir from her last short trip to Madrid just a couple of days ago. Jet lag? Sophie shakes her head: “There was no time for that. I gave a private concert, went to a party, and before I knew it I was back on the plane and heading for home.”

Home, that’s an apartment in TriBeCa, the eternally cool Triangle Below Canal Street. Sophie lives in a modern building of glass and steel, a neat seven stories high, between scruffy auto repair shops and cool eateries, like the Dylan Prime and the Smith & Mills. Robert de Niro’s luxury hotel, The Greenwich, is just a couple of blocks away, its gym is very popular with New York’s upper class. There are glasses standing around in Sophie’s kitchen, discarded socks on the floor in her bedroom, and next to the sofa, four guitars stand propped against the wall. The Gretsch 1967 is her absolute favorite.

Sophie Auster, 27, is a musician. She has just completed her third album, Dogs and Men. Like most young artistes, she grabs every opportunity to promote her career. She loves being up on a stage and regularly performs at New York clubs. Somehow, though, her clear, powerful tones and haunting music seem out of place with her girlish looks.

Is it true you’ve had that voice since you were a teenager? “I’ve been taking singing lessons since I was eight years old. I was 16 when the New York duo One Ring Zero asked my father for some lyrics, and the two of them were constantly hanging around our place. One day I said: ‘You know what? I sing!’ Then I actually got to sing a song on their next album. That sparked the idea for me to make another recording with musical adaptations of poems. We found a tiny sound studio in Brooklyn, and worked there really intensively during my school vacations and on weekends. That’s how my first album came about.”

And that got you hooked on recording? “No, that came later. Having an album of my own was fantastic, but I regarded it more as a nice gift for my grandmother. Then a friend from France came to visit. She liked my voice and arranged another recording for me, so when I was still in my first year at college, I already had an album produced in Europe. This attracted the attention of the press, and I started to receive invitations to sing at festivals and began touring in a small way. Gradually I began to realize that this could be my path in life.”

What kind of music do you make today? “I’d say it was pop in the broadest sense. I’m a singer-songwriter; I compose my own music and write all the lyrics myself. When I was a teenager, I listened to a lot of jazz and Gerschwin. Maybe I just came into the world too late because my songs are much more on the 1970s/’80s wavelength. The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed – they are all musicians I feel an affinity with.”

Sophie’s flirtation with the past is not just a musical one. Her favorite dress is a ten-year-old, floor-length Oscar de la Renta creation in delicate shades of coral and pistachio. She picked it up at Ina in SoHo, a commission store, where models, fashion editors and wealthy New Yorkers pass on their barely worn designer clothes. The boutique’s founder, Ina Bernstein, was one of the first to realize that there was a market for such garments – clothes that were too good for second hand and too new for vintage. That was 20 years ago and today there are six Ina stores in downtown Manhattan, where Sophie likes to look for flowing dresses and unusual accessories. But today, she decides 550 dollars for a funnel-shaped cap made of real leopard skin is still just a little bit too much for her.

She’s in luck at Other Music, though, where she buys a few vinyls. She’s a familiar face here although (or precisely because) her two albums are long out of stock. Sophie Auster is a loyal customer; she likes this unspectacular shop in NoHo, which has always done its bit for the New York music scene. Unlike the better known Tower Records and the Virgin Megastore near Union Square, Other Music has survived the hard times of the music industry, thanks in part to the carefully compiled selection of alternative and underground indie music. Sophie’s search for a Kate Bush recording is unsuccessful, but she comes across a couple of Scott Walker and Tom Waits vinyls to take to the checkout, where she chats briefly before she heading out to a lunch date – with her mother, the author Siri Hustvedt.

What’s it like being the daughter of famous parents? Has your name opened doors for you? “To be honest, I find that question irritating. I have a very close relationship with my parents; they are my best friends. But it bothers me when people constantly ask me about them. The music business is tough and sometimes I have no idea how to get ahead. But how could they open doors for me? My parents write books! If I wanted to publish a novel, they could probably give me a few tips. But I have no plans in that direction.”

So you wouldn’t say you got your creative talent from your parents? “We are a creative family, for sure. Nevertheless, each of us does our own thing. I have to say that it was a big help, though, having parents who understood about creativity, and that helped me to develop mine. There was no one there telling me to train for a proper job. I was allowed to find out what I enjoyed doing and encouraged to follow that route.”

Your parents live in Brooklyn. Why did you move to Manhattan? “I know everyone else does it the other way around, but I just happen to like swimming against the tide. Also, I wanted to try out something new. I didn’t know what living in the city was like. That was six years ago and now I would like to go back to Brooklyn. My friends are there, my recording studio – and my favorite bars.”

The Smile is a small restaurant with a worn wooden floor, brick walls and a dark wooden ceiling. Every table is taken; it’s loud and very cozy. Sophie orders lemonade with basil and a salad with avocado and chicken breast – lots of organic or otherwise healthy ingredients. Her mother immediately orders the same: “If Sophie likes it, I will, too.” Siri Hustvedt is approaching 60, very tall, fine-boned and very blond. Her family is from Norway, but she was raised in Minnesota and came to New York 36 years ago. “It’s really easy to become a New Yorker because outsiders feel right at home here in next to no time,” she says, adding that “Forty percent of all New Yorkers were born somewhere else, anyway. Isn’t that a nice statistic?” So you could even love the city because everyone here has an accent.

What appeals to Sophie particularly is the great diversity of people and lifestyles. The typical New Yorker, she says, just doesn’t exist. Typical for New York are the differences, that’s all. Everyone can live the way he or she likes – and anything is possible any time.

Flight and accommodation

Calendar of events

Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade

This is one of the biggest Chinese New Year celebrations in the country, and always draws big crowds. There are several celebrations in New York, with firecrackers, parades and dragon-clad dance troupes. This always falls in either January or February, though the date changes every year.

Tribeca Film Festival

This film festival was founded by actor-director Robert De Niro in 2003 as part of a post-9/11 effort to attract visitors to return to lower Manhattan. In less than a decade, it has become New York’s premiere film festival. In addition to film screenings, there are talks, panels and a street fair.

Mermaid Parade

The city’s most informal and most lively parade has a nautical theme, and features women and men alike dressed in glittering and riotous costumes and covered in ample body paint. The city’s classic theme parks provide the perfect backdrop to this celebration of the weird and wonderful.

NYC Pride

The annual lesbian and gay pride march, which travels southwards down Fifth Avenue and ends in Greenwich Village, with a street festival and dance party. Expect outlandish costumes and behaviour, but high spirits and inclusive attitudes.

Fourth of July

Most towns and cities host their own Fourth of July celebrations, but certainly the best known of these is in New York City and is hosted by Macy’s. Get a spot early in the day as west side Manhattan streets fill up with spectators eager to see the impressive fireworks show over the Hudson River.

NYC Restaurant Week

More than 300 restaurants are set to participate in the culinary celebrations in which food-lovers get to sample some of New York City’s finest dining establishments. Multi-course prix-fixe lunches and dinners provide great values. It’s held twice a year in winter and summer.

All information subject to change. Please check the dates on the relevant event organizer’s website.

Flight and accommodation

Hotels in New York City

Finding a cheap hotel room in New York is tougher than winning the lottery.

The city has plenty of superb top-end options though, with a growing number of decent, cheaper alternatives.

St. Regis New York

Two East 55th Street, at Fifth Avenue NY 10022 New York USA Tel.: +1 (212) 753-4500 Show on map

Category: Expensive

The St. Regis New York is indisputably one of the most exclusive hotels in the world. From the marble floor in the lobby, to silk-wallpapered rooms and glittering crystal chandeliers, luxury is writ large at the St. Regis. In line with the hotel’s motto, which was also that of its founder, John Jacob Astor IV, guests should feel they have been personally invited into the Astors’ home. The building dates from 1904 but has recently been fully refurbished. Its central location on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 55th Street in Manhattan also makes the hotel an excellent choice for visitors wishing to explore the city’s many attractions.

W New York – Times Square

This outpost of the Starwood chain is situated right at the heart of the city. Not only does the lobby on the seventh floor boast a hip, ultramodern feel, but the rest of the hotel maintains the same level of style and chic. And thanks to sound-excluding double glazing, guests can enjoy the view over Times Square in peace.

Union Hotel Brooklyn

Econo Lodge

302 West 47th Street NY 10036 New York USA Tel.: +1 (212) 246-1991 Show on map

Category: Cheap

Traveling on a shoestring but still wishing to spend the night in New York City? Then this could be the hotel for you. The rooms are on the small side, but fit for purpose and satisfactory. The Lodge’s outstanding attraction is its central location.

Climate and best time to visit New York City

NYC is never quiet, tourists flocking to its wide avenues all year long. But the best times to see the city at its finest are in spring and autumn. From April to June, New York shakes off the annual big freeze and blooms, the sun bringing all life out onto its busy streets. In autumn, Central Park is awash with colour and the cool temperatures make rushing around Gotham more bearable. Summers can be excruciatingly hot, soaring temperatures combining with city concrete to make it feel like a true urban jungle. And if you don’t like it cold, it’s best to avoid town in January and February too.

Climate & best time to visit the United States of America

The United States has varied weather conditions, and the best time to visit depends both upon the location and the season. Spring (March, April, May) and autumn (September and October) are generally cooler, more comfortable times to visit. Summer months – June, July, and August – are generally hot regardless of the region, but winter temperatures (November-February) can vary substantially depending upon the part of the US you are visiting. The southern part of the country tends to be warmer in the winter than the north. The general climate of the continental US is temperate, but keep in mind that Hawaii is tropical and Alaska is arctic. Many of the country’s dependent territories, such as Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, are also tropical.

Summer is considered the peak tourist season throughout the country; other popular travel times are major American holidays, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as Easter Week and the school holiday known as Spring Break. Certain destinations, such as New York, are perennial favourites and are busy year-round; even when the weather may not be pleasant, these destinations have particular attractions or experiences that always draw travellers. In some parts of the country, travel services may be limited during the low or off-season, largely due to weather conditions.

Telephone/Mobile Telephone

Foreign mobile telephones only work if they are tri-band or quad-band; charges are high. Visitors can also hire a mobile telephone. Pre-pay cell phones can be purchased from a variety of retail outlets, including drug stores.

Internet

There are internet cafés in most urban areas, and an increasing number of Wi-Fi hotspots. Many coffee shops offer free Wi-Fi. Many of the international airports offer internet access too.

Flight and accommodation

Shopping in New York City

New York has got shopping covered from every angle. Fifth Avenue’s broad sweep is home to global brands and luxury goods, while further downtown Broadway is awash with major high-street names. SoHo is full of fancy boutiques, while across the East River, Williamsburg and Greenpoint are great for music, books and vintage clothing.

Markets

Foodies should check out Union Square’s Greenmarket (closed Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) as well as the excellent Chelsea Market. Perfect for delicious on-the-go nibbles. Great for unique tees, alternative antiques and hipster spotting, the Brooklyn Flea is held in three locations across the borough; Fort Greene on Saturdays, on the waterfront in Williamsburg on Sundays and Park Slope all weekend.

Shopping Centres

Manhattan Mall, The Shops at Columbus Circle and Limelight Shops offer good ‘under one roof’ options for shopaholics. However, NYC is more about classic department stores than modern-day malls. Barney’s, Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s all deliver.

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My New York

Whenever I’m in New York City, I head for the Magnolia Bakery. One of the city’s four branches is located on Bleeker Street. It’s so unremarkable you would likely pass it by if it weren’t for the long line of people outside the shop that lets you know this is where they sell the most scrumptious cupcakes in the world. I have them wrap me some and then make my way to Times Square, where I buy a coffee at one of the many coffee shops and then sit down on the red steps to admire the gigantic advertising and musical billboards.

Jacqueline Geisler, flight attendant

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Traveller etiquette

Social Conventions

Americans are renowned for their openness and friendliness to visitors. The wide variety of national origins and the USA’s relatively short history has resulted in numerous cultural and traditional customs living alongside each other. In large cities, people of the same ethnic background often live within defined communities.

Shaking hands is the usual form of greeting. A relaxed and informal atmosphere is usually the norm. As long as the fundamental rules of courtesy are observed, there need be no fear of offending anyone of any background.

Gifts are appreciated if one is invited to a private home.

As a rule, dress is casual. High-end restaurants, hotels and clubs may require more formal attire.

Smoking is increasingly unpopular in the US; it is essential to ask permission before lighting up. Smoking is not allowed on city transport and restricted or forbidden in public buildings in most states. There will be a posted notice where no smoking is requested. An increasing number of states (including California and New York) have banned smoking altogether in bars, restaurants and many public places.

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Health

Main emergency number: 911

Food & Drink

Food in the US is safe to eat, and the conditions under which food is prepared and served are regulated by city, state, and federal health and hygiene agencies. In many jurisdictions, it is mandatory for restaurants to have a certificate of health or hygiene, as well as the current grade they have been assigned, posted visibly.

Although America is famous for its fast food and obesity rates, the local and fresh food movement is very popular in many areas, especially cities, making it easy to eat healthy. A variety of options also makes it easy for people with special dietary needs to find food that suits them, whether their needs are due to health reasons or to religious requirements.

Tap water is considered safe to drink in the US and is often offered in restaurants before bottled water. Bottled water is available throughout the country, however, both in restaurants and shops, for those who prefer not to drink tap water.

Other Risks

The US is generally considered a safe destination for world visitors. Occasional outbreaks of disease, such as West Nile Virus (a mosquito-borne illness) and H1N1 have occurred in recent years, however. Frequent hand-washing and general practices of good hygiene are encouraged to protect oneself against all types of illness.

Another concern with regard to safety is the possibility of terrorist attacks such as the one that occurred on September 11, 2001. City, state, and federal agencies have stringent anti-terrorism practices in place, however, and direct threats are infrequent.